The structural dynamics of interorganizational management: The manager’s role from the perspective of social network analysis

Abstract

The growing number of initiatives of interorganizational networks in Brazil has stimulated the creation of academic studies about management. These studies have shown that different management structures of networks are adopted in accordance with the characteristics and the developmental stage of each initiative. In some initiatives, professional managers are hired in order to coordinate the network. As the actions are embedded in the network’s social structure, the manager must assume the intermediary role in the relationships among the associates. The management therefore depends not only on the managerial skills of the manager, but, above all, on his ability to assume a central position in network relationship. This article aims at analyzing the dynamic structures of network management and the role played by managers in the densification of relationships. To this end, the Centersul Network was chosen as the object of study and Social Network Analysis was adopted as the method of analysis. The results obtained in relation to density showed that the engagement of the manager intensified the relationships among the members mainly in the flow of information exchange, and in trust perception. The results also showed that the cohesion of the network was leveraged by the intermediary role of the manager facilitated by its central position in the social network of Centersul.